My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 263

Chapter 263

My Cheating Mate

Grace pov

The pregnancy test sat on the bathroom counter, two pink lines unmistakable in the morning light.

Positive. 1

I was pregnant.

I sat on the edge of the bathtub, staring at those two lines, feeling-everything. All at once. Too much to process.

Excited. I was excited. Connor and I had been mated for six months now. We’d talked vaguely about children eventually. About a family. About the future we wanted to build together. 1

But eventually had seemed far away. Distant. Something to think about when we were older, more established, more-ready.

Apparently eventually was now.

I was nineteen. Connor was nineteen. We were barely adults ourselves, and now-now we were going to be parents.

A baby. Our baby. Half me, half Connor. A child who’d grow up in this integrated world we’d fought for. Who’d have Uncle Cas as a great-uncle and both sets of grandparents and the entire pack as extended family.

The excitement was real. Overwhelming. The idea of holding our baby, of watching Connor be a father, of building this next piece of our life together-it made my heart race in the best way.

But underneath the excitement–fear.

Deep, visceral, paralyzing fear.

Elena Frost was in prison. Had been for three months, held in Council custody while they decided her final sentencing. But her words at the interrogation-Connor had told me about them, unable to hide his own worry.

*”Ideology doesn’t die with individual believers. There will always be opposition. Violent opposition, if necessary.”

*”There are other ways to oppose integration. Other targets. Other methods. “*

“The Preservation Front is gone. But the ideology? That’s immortal.”*

I was bringing a baby into a world where extremists believed my family was dangerous. Where Elena Frost sac in prison promising that the violence wasn’t over. Where being the daughter of Alpha Jeremy Trent and the niece or Lord Castellan made

you a target.

My hand moved to my still-flat stomach. A baby, Growing inside me. Innocent and helpless and completely dependent on the to keep them safe.

How was I supposed to keep them safe when I could barely keep myself safe? When knife attacks and terrorist assaults and extremist threats were just-part of my life?

“Grace?” Connor’s voice from outside the bathroom. “You’ve been in there a while. You okay?

I looked at the test. At the evidence of our future sitting on the counter.

Tell him. I needed to tell him. This was this was huge. Life-changing, Something we’d face together

But the fear was crushing The terror that bringing a child into this world was selfials Dangerous Wring When Elena’s identgy was still out there waiting

“Grace?” Knock on the door. “I’m coming in.”

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The door opened Connor stepped inside, saw my face, saw the pregnancy test on the counter.

His eyes went wide. “Is that Grace, is that-

“Positive.” The word came out thick. “I’m pregnant. We’re-we’re going to have a baby.”

The expression on his face cycled through shock, joy, wonder, and then-concern when he saw my tears.

“Hey.” He was beside me immediately, pulling me into his arms. “Grace, this is good news. This is amazing news. Why are you

cry

en terrified.” The admission broke something open. “Connor, Elena Frost is in prison promising more violence. The on Front is gone but the ideology isn’t. And I’m-I’m bringing a baby into this. Into a world where extremists think is dangerous. Where our child will be a target just for existing.”

l will also be loved and protected and raised in the safest pack territory in North America.” His voice was firm. Certain yes, there are still extremists. But there are also allies. Coalition members. Vampire guards. Your father who’s already

multiple assaults. Uncle Cas who’s eliminated every serious threat we’ve faced.”

what if they can’t protect-what if something happens-“I couldn’t finish. The fear was too big.

hen we deal with it. Together. The whole family.” He pulled back to look at my face. “Grace, you grew up with extremist treats. You turned out pretty damn amazing despite Thomas Vex and the Preservation Front and all of it. Our baby will too.”

“I had constant protection. Vampire guards. Pack security. I couldn’t go anywhere alone without someone following. Connor, I don’t want-I don’t want that life for our child. Don’t want them growing up scared.”

“Then we make them brave.” He touched my stomach gently. Reverently. “Grace, this baby is going to grow up in a family that fought wars to protect integration. That proved love is stronger than extremism. That’s-that’s incredible. They’ll grow up knowing their great-uncle is a vampire and that’s completely normal. Knowing their family built something worth fighting for.”

“Or they’ll grow up knowing extremists wanted them dead before they were even born.” The fear wouldn’t let go. “Connor, Elena said she said there would always be opposition. That the Preservation Front was just the beginning. How do I bring a baby into that?”

“The same way your parents brought you into it. The same way every family in our coalition brings children into uncertain futures. With love and protection and determination to build something better.” He held both my hands. “Grace, we can’t let Elena’s threats stop us from living. From building our family. From having the future we fought for. That’s-that’s letting her win even from prison.”

“I know that intellectually. But Connor- “I looked at the pregnancy test again. “What if I’m not ready? What it can’t protect them? What if-”

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